Nike

Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, may originally have been considered an
aspect of the goddess Athena* rather than a
deity
in her own right. According to the Greek writer Hesiod*, Nike was the
daughter of the river Styx and the
Titan
Pallas. Zeus* honored her for helping him win the battle of the gods
against the Titans. The Romans knew Nike as Victoria and considered her
the protector of the Roman senate.

deity
god or goddess

Titan
one of a family of giants who ruled the earth until overthrown by the
Greek gods of Olympus

Nike was usually shown as a small figure carried in the hands of Zeus or
Athena. As the goddess of victory, she appeared as a winged figure holding
a laurel wreath above the heads of those

*See
Names and Places
at the end of this volume for further information.

who won competitions. However, in her identity as Athena Nike, she was
portrayed without wings.